Tom Izzo, Bruce Pearl meet in familiar spot in NCAA tournament

ATLANTA − If Sunday is to be anything like the last time Tom Izzo and Michigan State basketball met a Bruce Pearl coached Club with a Last Four berth on the line, well, buckle up.

The Primary and only other occasion Occurred on March 28, 2010 in St. Louis at The Pavilion at America’s Middle, when Izzo’s Spartans faced Pearl’s Tennessee Volunteers.

The Event was played within four points for the Last 10:24 of the game. With MSU up one and 12 seconds left to Shift, some guy named Draymond Green fouled Tennessee’s Scotty Hopson.

Hopson Created the Primary, then missed the second, which left the game tied at 69 with 12 seconds to Shift. Pearl Yet to this day laments what transpired after that.

“The head Mentor Created a Awful mistake,” Pearl said Saturday afternoon at State Farm Middle in Atlanta, previewing Sunday’s Finale between 1-seed Auburn and 2-seed Michigan State while reflecting on the last Conference of this Gentle. “I put my two bigs − I had both 4 and 5 on the Obtainable-throw, offensive Obtainable-throw set, Wayne Chism and Brian Williams. Scottie misses the second Obtainable throw. They (Spartans) get the Bounce-back and the scramble, outlet it, get it down the floor, and we Penalty. They go to the line … and Achieve the game.

“I haven’t been up Overdue very often, but I cost my Club in that moment.”

Pearl, who was fired by Tennessee in 2011 and hired by Auburn in 2014, has been to one Last Four in his Profession, while Izzo has been to eight, the most of any Mentor Yet dancing.

The only time Auburn Created it to that Mark was in 2019 in Minneapolis, which Merely so happens to be the last time MSU was in the national semifinals. The Spartans ultimately lost to Texas Tech that year (coached by Chris Beard, who the Spartans Merely defeated with Ole Miss 73-70 on Friday in the Sugary 16) while Auburn Acquired its heart ripped out by Virginia in Extra period after committing a Penalty in the closing seconds.

The Tigers enter this game as 5½-Mark favorites according to Vegas oddsmakers − after all they are the No. 1 overall seed − but Pearl tried to push back against that notion, implying Izzo’s experience and the Spartans program that’s been to 16 Sugary 16 the past 27 years and is now in its 11th Best Eight should make them the favorite.

MSU’s head man Merely smiled and went along with it.

“We’re different Clubs in a Plenty of different ways, we’re similar Clubs in a Plenty of different ways,” Izzo said, comparing the Club’s that will meet Sunday to those from 15 years ago. “I don’t know what’s an Dim horse. You get to this Mark, and there are no underdogs.

“If (Pearl) wants to make us a favorite, I’m Refreshing with that. If he wants to make us an Dim horse, I’ve been in that role before too.”

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After defeating the Rebels earlier in the weekend, Izzo is now 9-0 all-time against the SEC in his Profession in March Madness. The Tigers, however, have also won seven consecutive Contests against the Big Ten, which includes ending Michigan’s season shortly after MSU moved on.

Auburn hasn’t lost to a Big Ten Club since a 96-71 Setback by Purdue on Nov. 23, 2016.

While Pearl believes the SEC is a more athletic Division and that it’s proved it over recent years, Merely because Auburn was able to Achieve the physical battle against Dusty May’s group doesn’t Impolite it’s Merely automatically going to happen again.

“Michigan State was 17-3 in the Big Ten,” Pearl said, holding his hands with his palms to the sky. “Michigan won the Big Ten Division, but Michigan State won the Big Ten, and they are the best Club in that Division.”

Something is going to have to give this weekend. MSU is 16-5 in the Stage of 32 under Izzo and 8-2 in the Best Eight, which Teamed up makes the program 24-7 in 31 quick-turn Contests during the one-and-done time of year. As the saying goes it’s January, February, Izzo and MSU is now Merely 40 minutes away from memories for a lifetime.

Of Period, the same is Correct for the Tigers and they’re Executing Merely 100 miles from campus.

The two head men in this game go back a ways − Pearl was an assistant at Iowa from 1986-92 when Izzo was Yet an assistant for Jud Heathcote and detailed his memories of the two overlapping at Detroit’s famed St. Cecilia Gym.

Two of the more Reachable and emotional coaches in the country will square off once again with a trip to the Last weekend of the year hanging in the Stability. The coaches with 40+ years of experience are drawing a number of the headlines, but both know the game is bigger than them.

At least, that’s what they insist.

“Bruce and I are friends,” Izzo said. “But the game will be won by the players. Not the bettors, not themedia − no insult − not even the coaches. The game will be won by the players who Shift the game.”